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It spreads out like a green oasis, away from the concrete jungle of the city. The Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park on the east side of Grand Rapids is 125 acres of woodlands, wetlands, gardens and sculptures that will bring out the “wow” of everyone who visits.
As classic gardens go, it is rather young. It opened to the public in April of 1995 and has quickly become the second most popular tourist destination in Michigan.
The outdoor gardens feature 4 season plantings that can be enjoyed year-round. Throughout the gardens are more then 170 sculptures. The most prominent feature is Nina Akamu’s “The American Horse” which was created from plans drawn by Leonardo DeVinci
| There will be a new addition to the gardens for just this summer only. Rick Jensen tells us "This summer, we're really excited about "The Thinker" spending its summer in Grand Rapids. I'm sure everyone's seen that iconic piece, like this, you know, coming from The Detroit Institute of Arts. They're going through some serious renovations and they have loaned the piece to us here in West Michigan for the summer". |
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The conservatory is a 5 story, 15,000 square foot facility that features rock landscapes, tropical plants, a carnivorous plant house, an arid house, and a victorian conservatory.
The Lena Meijer Children’s Garden, which opened just three years ago, is one of the largest children’s gardens in the nation. The kids were really enjoying the Great Lakes Garden on our visit, where they could splash, squirt and spray the water in various places. New to the garden this summer will be the “Amazing Chocolate Tree” exhibition. Mary Lamson-Burke explains "Out here there will be an actual chocolate factory where children and adults will be able to learn the process of roasting and grinding beans and making chocolate".
You’ll certainly want to bring your camera, and a good pair of walking shoes, and allow plenty of time to take in the beauty around you.
If you're heading to the west side of Michigan, be sure to check-out the Meijer Botanical Garden. You can hang out with a few of your friends.
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